My absense from the blogging world has been largely due to our "brilliant" idea to set up someone's Big Girl bed last Wednesday. Let me tell you, it's been an adventure and test of endurance for all of us. One of us has been persevering in her determination to never take a nap again...the rest of us are calling on the Lord for the strength and wisdom to set reasonable boundaries and bring discipline consistently and with loving self-control. I admit my heart has been crying out, "How long, oh Lord?" :-)
Nighttime has been going much better than naptime...we just have a very tired and cranky little one by late afternoon and this mama is missing her powernaps. We're surviving though.
There have been some funny moments in all of this. The first morning after sleeping in the Big Girl bed I walked in to find her tissue box in the bed with her, and what looked like a rabbit's nest of tissues packed all around her pillow area. Again, I have a picture, but it'll have to wait.
Other ways she's occupied herself during "naptime": emptying her drawers, organizing her books into piles, and trying to dress her babydoll in whatever's in the hamper.
At this point we want to train her to stay in her room for at least 1- 1 1/2 hours; whether she stays in bed or not isn't as much the issue for us. (Her normal nap usually lasts from 2-3 hours, so we feel this is reasonable.) Just so she takes some time to "rest" by herself. We're hoping that eventually she'll give in and actually take that much-needed nap.
Any big bed transition stories out there you want to share? Tips, suggestions? Encouragement for a woman who at moments feels she belongs in a padded room? ;-P
8 comments:
Ughh, I feel for you going through that while being pregnant.
Sophie was a climber. After conquering the crib, she saw her bed as just a different climbing apparatus.
After stressing for 2 days while watching her in the monitor about to break a limb, we stuck the mattress on the floor.
We also had to take the dresser out because she would pull the drawers out until the child latch hit, and use them as steps.
It all depends on how you want to prioritize things. We all needed her to nap, she was irrational without it.
I gave her a soft container of stuffed animals to play with, because they will find something to play with, and I prefered those to outlet protectors. That was all she had in her room until she was back in a sleep routine. Then we gradually put stuff back in.
So it was kind of a pain, but a worse pain was her not sleeping, and risking her safety. But like I said , she was a climber.
So good luck, the napping in a big girl bed is a tough one.
Am I crazy to think that we might just succeed in conquering the big girl bed AND potty training before the baby comes?! Probably. She's really not too interested in the potty other than using it as a step stool to get to the sink.
She too is a climber.
This could be the stupidest idea ever, but have you considered napping with her? My mom says that she used to do that with me when pregnant with my brother. You could also sleep on the end of the bed, and then move to a chair in the room, and then at the door, gradually working your way out of the room (I think I saw an idea like that on Supernanny).
I thought I left a comment, but guess not.
Any advice given from me is typically coming from our failures rather than triumphs here at the Almengor's just to note that. :)
1. Make the boundaries clear and be faithful to reinforce them. That said, know that boundaries change with a child's growing development and the changing needs of your entire home.
2. Rebecca's idea to try napping with her may be all it takes to get her to start sleeping again..and you'd get a nap that way, too. You'll just have to figure out how to wean her of that habit once baby #2 comes.
3. This advice was given to me by Laurie R...sit outside their door w/ a good book or mag. and get comfy. Anytime boundaries are broken, discipline swiftly follows.
This saved me from much frustration of beginning to nap myself or starting a project around the house only to be interrupted by the need to discipline. It also ensured that I actually did discipline them and not ignore them out of my own selfishness.
I won't give you any kind of time frame by which Natalya will be "trained" b/c quite frankly, I have found that I can do the intense discipline for a season the they seem to be good for a while only to have to occasionally re-visit that intensity again.
This just keeps us as moms (or at least me) very aware that it's not my efforts that change my kids ultimately; it's God and His grace.
Will pray for you and Natalya as you go through this transition together.
I've got no advice for you, but I will enjoy learning from YOU after this season has passed. :o)
post pictures of her big girl room!
I remember my mom used to sleep with my sister Rebekah to get her to sleep. She never had a problem with me, because I was a sleeper. :) But she'd sleep with Rebekah until she went to sleep and then would leave. This gave her a chance to get some rest, but since she wouldn't sleep as long as Rebekah, still get something accomplished during naptimes too.
Well it has been a looong time since I was training my kids...Well for a nap that is. I can tell you to be careful what you leave in the room. When Nick was giving up naps we had the same rule of quiet time in his room. Well he took a match box car, took the wheel off and put it up his nose. NEVER told me so he ended up with an enormous infection and a trip to the ER and ENT...
Scott was a climber so we would gate his door for his protection. We had to double gate them BUT he got over that and made "breakfast" on our hallway carpet that consisted of cheerios and syrup. Mike step in it as he was going to check on Scott...LOL Funny now not then...
I'll be praying for you ALL
Sorry I can't offer any advice since we have yet to deal with that challenge. After reading your experience, I may wait awhile since Ryan has yet to climb out of his crib. Praying for much grace and patience for you!
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